The brave knight by Sally Gould and Celeste Hulme

New Frontier, 2018. ISBN 9781925594119
(Age: 2-5) Themes: Imagination. Play. Knights and Castles. The brave knight is a charming story, a celebration of imaginative play. With simple craft items the young boy arms himself with a cardboard sword and shield and wears a painted silver tunic. He's ready to be brave and bold, standing in front of his castle treehouse surveying the surrounding countryside - his backyard. He proudly declares "I guard the castle. Enemies BEWARE!"
From the castle turret, he spies three enemy knights dressed in helmets, one holding a sword. Using trickery, he disguises himself as a peasant and lures his monkey, teddy bear and dog into the fortress with promises of gold. He is a brave knight who uses his imagination to protect the castle and help his baby brother escape from his playpen enclosure. Thankfully, all is well in the kingdom and his creativity has saved the day!
Celeste Hulme's whimsical paintings enliven Sally Gould's simple story. From the end covers detailing the creation of the knight's armour and sword through to the fun of the castle treehouse there is much to explore with a toddler or preschooler. They will be captivated by the details of the castle and the actions of the young boy as he leads his toys joined together up the stairs and into his fortress.
The brave knight is a wonderful example of imaginative play and graphic storytelling.
Rhyllis Bignell